Service outlet arrangements



June 2, 1964 J. K. LANHAM SERVICE OUTLET ARRANGEMENTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1960 7 III u N m fitui QB 33 Q Q & QN m m a C T mm I w W L 3 P 8.

I \f .I I 4 N N\ i w m mm mm M Q m\ K I I I I I I I I I I II WM k w S Attorney June 2, 1964 J. K. LANHAM 3,135,821

SERVICE OUTLET ARRANGEMENTS In vehlor Jouu KENNETH LANHAH By 6 I l-L .Zttorney June 2, 1964 J. K. LANHAM 3,

SERVICE OUTLET ARRANGEMENTS Filed March 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5

33 j 35 A 6Q 61 Fig.7

v [nvenfor I JOHN KE'NNHH ,LIXNHM im.

A ttorney United States Patent 3,135,821 SERVICE OUTLET ARRANGEMENTS John Kenneth Lanham, 17 Hillside Rise, Northwood, England Filed Mar. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 15,399 11 Claims. (Cl. 174-48) The present invention relates to service outlet arrangements, for example for electricity, water, gas, compressed air or liquid fuels and has for an object the provision of an arrangement in which the outlet may normally be accommodated below a surface, for example below ground or floor level without substantially interrupting said surface with a projection or depression.

Specifically the invention relates to service outlet arrangements of the kind in which the outlet is pivotally supported beneath a cover member that is hinged to an opening in a surface, in such a manner that when said cover member is opened the outlet is uncovered and moved to a position to allow ready access thereto, and according thereto the cover member is adapted to be closed after an external connection has been made to the outlet but with said connection still in position.

Advantageously the outlet is pivotally linked to the underside of said cover member or a part connected thereto whereby opening of the cover member directly moves said outlet to the readily accessible position.

The invention also provides a service outlet arrangement in which the service outlet is normally accommodated below a surface, comprising two cover members adapted to be located substantially level with said surface in end-to-encl relationship and being pivoted adjacent their ends remote from each other and in which the service outlet is located beneath one of the cover members so that on opening said cover member the outlet moves into a readily accessible position, said other cover member being adapted to be swung about its pivot so that its other end is depressed below the level of the surface to allow easy access to the outlet when the first-mentioned cover is again closed to return the outlet to its initial position.

The actual structure of the outlet arrangement may be built directly into the surface or alternatively and preferably, the parts may be assembled in a casing which may be fixed below a desired surface in an aperture or recess formed therein.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one specific embodiment thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of the arrangement,

FIGURE 2 shows a side view of FIGURE 1 (with the casing removed) in the closed position,

FIGURE 3 shows a side view with the first cover member in the open position,

FIGURE 4 shows a side view with the service outlet connected, the arrangement being in the operating position,

FIGURE 5 shows a view of a detail of latch member,

FIGURE 6 shows another view of the latch member taken at right angles to the arrangement of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 shows a detail view of a locking bolt assembly, and

FIGURE 8 shows another view of the said locking bolt assembly. 7

Referring to the drawings the service outlet arrangement is assembled in a casing having sides 1 and a top 2, the assembly being inserted in an aperture 3 formed in and below a surface 4 with the top 2 substantially level with said surface. The arrangement comprises two covers 5 and 6 in end-to-end relationship, the cover 6 being terminated at its end adjacent cover 5 by a shallow step 3,135,821 Patented June 2, 1964 7 so, that cover 5 overlaps step 7 to a slight extent without forming a ridge when the covers are closed.

The covers are strengthened and supported from underneath by members 5a, 5b, 6a, 612 respectively by means of which said covers are pivoted adjacent their ends remote from each other about substantially parallel axes S and 9.

Located beneath cover 5 is the service outlet to be accommodated and shown, for the purposes of this description as an electric socket connector 10 having a supply lead ltia. The socket It} is pivoted'to the sides 1 of the casing about an axis 11 and is linked to the cover 5 by links 12 pivoted to the socket at 13 and to the strengthening members 5a, 5b at 14. Thus when the cover 5 is opened the socket will move so that the mouth of the socket moves upwardly or outwardly and allows a plug 15 as shown in FIGURE 3 to be readily inserted into the socket. A guide plate 16 is provided just below the mouth of the socket to guide the plug thereinto.

The cover 6 is prevented from opening upwards or outwards by its end 17 abutting the casing top 2 at 18 as shown in FIGURE'Z but it can rotate in an inward direction until it is in the position shown in FIGURE 4'when the cover 5 is closed with the plug 15 housed in the socket 1t) and the lead to the plug passing over the surface. The cover 6 is counterbalance or biassed by means of counterweights, where indicated in FIGURE 2, so that it is normally held in a position level with the casing top 2. Cover 5 is also biassed towards itsclosed position and is prevented from moving downwardly. This biassing may be effected e.g. by springs or counterweights but such arrangements have not been illustrated in the drawings.

When the cover 5 is closed, the plug 15 having been plugged into the socket 10, the cover 6 will be rotated inwardly due to pressure of the plug 15 on step 7 and thus create an opening through which the plug lead can pass. In this embodiment, rotation of the cover 6 also causes operation of a switch 19 through rotation of a lever member 20 by the supporting or strengthening member 6a and switches on the supply of electricity to the socket. It will thus be apparent that the supply cannot be switched on when there is no plug in position or when the cover 5 is open.

It will therefore be apparent that the arrangement provides interlocking between the cover members 5 and 6.

Moreover, only a plug 15 of the correct size can be used otherwise the members 5 and 6 cannot be properly closed since closure of member 6 is dependent on contact by the plug end. This ensures that attempted use of a plug of incorrect'size would immediately be discovered. Furthermore, the guide plate 16 engages under the step 7 thereby to prevent cover member 6 being closed while member 5 remains open. The supporting and strengthening members 5a and 5b form a water-shedding shroud around the socket when member 5 is closed so that rain or snow which might seep down the edges of the cover member will be kept away from the socket.

The cover 5 is locked in the closed position by means of the latch assembly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 and this latch assembly cannot he accidentally opened as in order to release the cover 5 it is necessary to insert an instrument, for example a screw-driver or rod, through the hole 21 in the casing top 2' and to depress a plate 22.

The cover 5 is lcoked in position by a latch member 23 engaging in a slot 24 in the supporting and strengthening member 5b.

The latch member is attached to an L-shaped arm 25 which is pivoted at 26 at its elbow to the casing so that when a rod 27 secured to the plate 22 is depressed on depression of said plate it will act on a platform 28 on a part 25b of the L-shaped arm 25 to rotate the'latch member 23 out of engagement with slot 24 in the strengthening member 5b and will thus release the 'cover 5. The rod 27 is located in apertured guides 30a, 30b extending from a backing plate 30 secured to the casing and the latch member 23 is normally held in engagement with the slot 24 by a tension spring 31 connected between plate 30 and platform 28.

A cam surface 5c is provided at the end of member 5b to push the latch member 23 back into slot 24 when cover member 5 is closed.

The cover 6 is locked in the position shown in FIG- URE 2 until the cover 5 is released by the assembly generally indicated at 32 in FIGURE 1 and shown in detail in FIGURES 7 and 8. The cover 6 is locked in position by a rod 33 passing through an aperture 34 in the supporting or strengthening member 6a, the rod being biased away from the locking position by a compression spring 35 acting between a shoulder 36 on rod 33 and rodlocating means 37 depending from the lower side of the casing top 2. The rod extends from the opposite side of the means 37 to engage a lever 38 mounted on a spindle 39 on the other end of which is a lever 40 adapted to engage under the supporting or strengthening member 5a when the cover 5 is in the closed position. Thus if the cover 5 is closed and locked, when it is released the lever 40 is released from the position shown in FIGURE 8, and therefore, the rod 33 moves out of locking engagement with member 6a under the action of the spring 35 and rotates lever 38 which thereby rotates lever 40 by means of the spindle 39 which has the efiect of slightly raising the cover 5 making it easier to open by hand.

When the cover 5 is again closed, if there is no plug 15 in position, the member 5a engages lever 40 and rotates it downwards which causes the rod 33 to move into the aperture and lock the cover 6, thus preventing it from being pushed inwardly when there is no connection to the socket 10. However, when a plug is connected to the socket the cover 6 is depressed well below the level of rod 33 in the closed position of cover 5 and there is no interference between the rod and the cover.

The arrangement is preferably of robust construction so as to withstand a high loading. Advantageously therefore the cover members, supporting members, casing and top are made from stout gauge steel.

If desired the locking bolt mechanism shown in FIG- URES 7 and 8 may be modified by the provision of a spring-loaded plunger arrangement for operation. This may be arranged to co-operate' with a laterally-moving slide bolt through a dog riding in a diagonal slot. The plunger may also incorporate a subsidiary operating plunger connected to the main plunger by a lost-motion connection, for example a spring.

It will be apparent that although the present invention has been described with reference to a service outlet embodying an electric connection the outlet may be for any of the aforementioned services, with suitable modification of the means for putting the outlet into use when the cover members are closed. For example, with a fluiddelivering service outlet controlled by a valve, the valve spigot may be mounted just above the pivot 9 for cover member 6 and a cover plate secured to the pivot to move therewith. The top plate 2 just above the said cover plate may have an aperture through which a key can be inserted to operate the spigot. The arrangement would be that when cover member 6 is depressed, the cover plate moves with pivot 9 to allow access to the spigot. The valve spigot may have an arm normally engaging a spring-loaded slide so that when the valve is turned on the said slide moves to cover the latch 23.

I claim: 1. A service outlet arrangement comprising a casing located beneath and opening into a surface, two cover from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, the free end of the second one of said cover members being depressable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface, which position allows easy access to said outlet when said first cover member is closed, a service supply termination connected to said outlet, means operable by said second cover member to transfer a service supply from said outlet to said termination on depression of said free end of said second cover member, and biasing means to return said second cover member to a position substantially level with said surface.

2. A service outlet arrangement for a surface having an opening therein, comprising two cover members located substantially level with said surface in said opening, said two cover members being in end-to-end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said opening by their ends remote from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface, which position allows easy access to said outlet when said first cover member is closed, and latch means to lock said first cover member in the closed position thereof.

7 3. A service outlet arrangement comprising a casing located beneath and opening into a surface, two cover members adapted to be located substantially level with said surface opening, said two cover members being in end-to-end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said casing by their ends remote from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface, which position allows easy access to said outlet when said first cover member is closed, a slotted member depending from said first cover member, an arm pivoted to said casing, a latch member attached to said arm, said latch member engaging in the slot in said slotted member, and biasing means acting on said pivoted arm to lock the latch member in a locking position, said pivoted arm being rotatable to disengage said latch member from said slot.

4. A service outlet arrangement comprising a casing located beneath and opening into a surface, two cover members adapted to be located substantially level with said surface opening, said two cover members being in end-to-end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said casing by their ends remote from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface, which position allows easy ac cess to said outlet when said first cover member is closed. latch means to lock said first cover member in a closed position thereof, and means for locking said second cover member in a position substantially level with said first cover member and said surface when said first cover member is in the closed position.

5. A service outlet arrangement comprising a casing located beneath and opening into a surface, two cover members adapted to be located substantially level with said surface opening, said two cover members being in end-to-end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said casing by their ends remote from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position be-, low the level of the surface, which position allows easy access to said outlet when said first cover member is closed, latch means to lock said first cover member in a closed position thereof, an apertured member depending from said second cover member, a rod-locating means depending from the top of said casing, a rod located to move in apertures in said rod-locating means, and to engage in the aperture of said apertured member, spring means biassing said rod away from said aperture, a spindle mounted in said casing, a first lever at one end of said spindle, means on said first cover member to rotate said first lever, when said first cover member is closed, and a second lever at the other end of said spindle, said second lever being rotated by said spindle on rotation of said first lever, to push said rod into engagement with said aperture.

6. A service outlet arrangement for a surface having an opening therein, comprising an upper coverrmember, means pivotally supporting said outlet beneath said cover member, means for hinging said cover member to said opening, means for opening said cover member, means for moving said outlet to a position allowing ready access thereto when said cover member is opened, control means controlling the service supply to said outlet and normally cutting-oif said service supply to said outlet, and actuating means operative by movement of a service supply termination connected to said outlet, upon closing of said cover member, to actuate said control means to turnon the service supply to said outlet, said control means only being actuated when the cover member is closed and a service supply termination is connected to said outlet.

7. A service outlet arrangement for a surface having an opening therein, comprising two cover members located substantially level with said surface in said opening, said two cover members being in end-to-end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said opening by their ends remote from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, and a service supply termination connected to said outlet, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface when said first cover member is closed with said termination connected to said outlet.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7, including control means for controlling the service supply to said outlet, and a movable member located in said opening below the cover members and connected to operate said control means, said movable member being positioned for movement by said second cover member to turn-on the service supply to said outlet when the free end of said second cover member swings to a position below the level of the surface.

9. A service outlet arrangement comprising a casing located beneath and opening into a surface, two cover members adapted to be located substantially level with said surface opening, said two cover members being in end-to-encl relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said casing by their ends remote from each other, means locating a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, and a service supply termination connected to said outlet, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface when said first cover member is closed with said termination connected to said outlet.

10. A service outlet arrangement comprising a casing located beneath and opening into a surface, two cover members adapted to be located substantially level with said surface opening, said two cover members being in end-to'end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said casing by their ends remote from each other, means pivoting a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members along an axis parallel to the'prior axis of said first cover member, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to move said outlet on movement of said first cover member, and a service supply termination connected to said outlet, the free end of the second one of said cover members being swingable about the pivot of said second cover member to a position below the level of the surface when said first cover member is closed with the termination connected to said outlet.

11. A service outlet arrangement for a surface having an opening therein, comprising two cover members located substantially level with said surface in said opening, said two cover members being in end-to-end relationship, means pivoting said cover members to opposite edges of said opening by their ends remote from each other, means pivotally mounting a service outlet beneath a first one of said cover members, means linking said first cover member to said outlet to pivot said outlet outwardly on outward movement of said first cover member, control means for normally interrupting the service supply to said outlet, and means operative by inward movement of the second one of said cover members to actuate said control means to turn-on the service supply to said outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

6. A SERVICE OUTLET ARRANGEMENT FOR A SURFACE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, COMPRISING AN UPPER COVER MEMBER, MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID OUTLET BENEATH SAID COVER MEMBER, MEANS FOR HINGING SAID COVER MEMBER TO SAID OPENING, MEANS FOR OPENING SAID COVER MEMBER, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID OUTLET TO A POSITION ALLOWING READY ACCESS THERETO WHEN SAID COVER MEMBER IS OPENED, CONTROL MEANS CONTROLLING THE SERVICE SUPPLY TO SAID OUTLET AND NORMALLY CUTTING-OFF SAID SERVICE SUPPLY TO SAID OUTLET, AND ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVE BY MOVEMENT OF A SERVICE SUPPLY TERMINATION CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET, UPON CLOSING OF SAID COVER MEMBER, TO ACTUATE SAID CONTROL MEANS TO TURNON THE SERVICE SUPPLY TO SAID OUTLET, SAID CONTROL MEANS ONLY BEING ACTUATED WHEN THE COVER MEMBER IS CLOSED AND A SERVICE SUPPLY TERMINATION IS CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET. 